USDA Restructuring Inevitable According to Stenholm
Former House Ag Committee member says there must be commitment to new methods.
Compiled by staff
Published: Dec 3, 2008
For several months House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., has been calling for an assessment of USDA's practices and possible restructuring of the agency. With a new Administration coming in it may happen.
Former House Ag Committee member Charlie Stenholm, D-Texas, and a possible candidate for ag secretary, says restructuring is inevitable and is something he pushed for during his two decades in the House.
"One of the most exciting potential positive things for agriculture is a new Administration with a new secretary and a new team looking at their views and ideas of how USDA ought to be structured," Stenholm said. "Simultaneously the Congress under the leadership of Chairman Peterson looking at restructuring, so we can give the people who are working for us the technology and tools they need to deliver."
Stenholm says there is a need to use new services and technology and that USDA can't continue to do things the way they've been done for the last 25 years.
"You've got to look at what the needs are today," Stenholm said. "Anybody who's going to be asking for more money to do it the old way, I don't think they're going to get it, nor should they."
A call to the new Administration and Secretary of Agriculture for reorganizing of USDA and its personnel is also being supported by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa.
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